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On June 8, 2021, the Peruvian National Team visited Ecuador for the qualifying matches. Although the national victory was the main news of that day, the captaincy of Pedro Gallese did not go unnoticed, as he assumed the responsibility of wearing the armband in an official match of the Peruvian team for the first time. Since then, the 'Pulpo' became the experienced leader that the team needed, especially in the absence of Paolo Guerrero (due to injuries). With the return of the 'Depredador' to a call-up, the topic became a subject of debate, although it was the number '1' of the national team who cooled down the situation.
"There's no need to create controversy. Whoever wears the captain's armband will do it very well. The important thing is that the team feels good. We have teammates who have been through two or three qualifying campaigns, we have the experience, the desire to return to a World Cup, and we will work for that," said the goalkeeper upon his arrival at the national concentration.
Pedro Gallese knows that there are players who arrive at the friendly matches of the Peruvian National Team in great form, which could also be reflected in the friendly matches that the Peruvian team will have in Asia (against South Korea and Japan), as part of their preparation for the start of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
"We are very happy about Paolo's (Guerrero) return and Gianluca's (Lapadula) rise; it is very gratifying to come together again, and it is an honor to wear your country's jersey," added the Orlando City goalkeeper from the MLS.
When will Peru play against South Korea and Japan?
The Peruvian National Team has been training in Seoul since Sunday, June 11, and when the delegation is completed with the players who play abroad, Juan Reynoso will begin to work on the scheme and variations for these friendly matches in Asia. So far, the 'Cabezón' has coached six matches with the national team, and these will be two interesting tests in preparation for the qualifiers.
The match against South Korea is scheduled for Friday, June 16, starting at 6:00 a.m. (8:00 p.m. local time) and will take place at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium (Busan). On the other hand, the match against Japan is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20, starting at 4:55 a.m. (6:55 p.m. local time) and will be held at the Panasonic Stadium Suita (Osaka).
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